We've had a couple of clients post internships in China over the last week or so - and it has made us try and analyse the benefits and drawbacks. Are they good student jobs? Can it be a good idea for you to take on an internship in China?

You can find the jobs if you do a job search and use the keyword "China" or "internship in China", but basically there are a few companies who are now offering a managed service to get you a job there.

So - what are the jobs? Well, most are internships lasting from a couple of months to 12 months. The internships themselves seem to be quite well structured (great for you!) so that's a plus point.

Benefits / Positives:

Experiencing business in a completely different culture and environment - can only be a positive thing!

China is one of the fastest growing economies - and getting a job there is potentially easier than finding one in the UK

An internship in China is going to make you stand out from the crowd when applying for a job in the UK later on in your career. It shows you are adventurous, ambitious, brave and have experienced different cultures and learnt a lot

From the internships posted on Employment4students, it looks like these work opportunities will allow you to take responsibility, whilst still getting guidance. Doesn't seem to be just about making tea!

Most of the positions come with some kind of payment - not much mind you, but there is some kind of payment for the positions. 2000 RMB is roughly around £200

These internships could lead to offers of permanent employment (obviously not guaranteed, but it's a foot in the door which can go onto more things)

Drawbacks / Negatives:

Unfortunately it's not just a brilliant internship in China which everyone should apply for. There are drawbacks which need to be weighed up

You have to pay a fee with the intermediary (Getin2China or My China Opportunity for example). This can range from just a small amount to quite a substantial amount of money. Please look carefully at their websites to see what the fees are - they should be advertised very openly.

More about the point above - this internship is overall not about making lots of money. With the costs involved, and only getting a small amount as payment, it's not something to do if you need to earn money in the short term

It may not lead to permanent employment. You have to remember that you are not automatically going to get a guaranteed job after the internship

The chances are it won't be easy! I think that makes it more of a challenge personally, and love that, but it's pretty obvious that the internships are not going to be a walk in the park. Different culture, responsibility etc. I say bring it on, but be aware of what you are signing up for!

Ok - I think those are the main points about these internships in China. A lot of people are going to have different views, but whether you think these are worthwhile for you or not, try to have a good think about all the positives and negatives and weigh them up for yourself. I can't say it's a good opportunity for everyone, but I do think for a lot of people it's worth thinking about these kind of internships.

If anyone wants to know any more about these things or has any thoughts post them below - would be great to hear from everyone!